Sole-machine



(NoModel.)

W. WOLI'E. SOLE MACHINE.

No. 460,494. I Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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NITED STATES "ATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM VOLFE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SOLE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,494, dated September 29, 1891.' Application tiled March 14, 1891.- Serial No. 385,020. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WoLFE, of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Breaking and Flexing Soles on Boots or Shoes, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description,.reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for breaking and ilexing soles on boots or shoes; and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and designated in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is atop plan view of my complete invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line .9c of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a shoe, showing the same being acted upon by the mechanism embodied in my invention.

The object of my invention is to construct a device for breaking, exing, and making pliant the soles ofboots or shoes after the same have been manufactured. Heretofore this object has been accomplished and achieved only by the agency of the hands, which necessarily involved a great degree of physical energy.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the side plates in which part ot' the operative mechanism of my device is mounted, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth. Said side plates are adapted to be secured to any suitable support or frame-work, the same designated as 2. Interposed between said plates and pivot-ally secured between the same by means of a shaft 3, is a rocking frame 4, the same being approximately clevis-shaped and consisting of slightly-curved pieces 5. Said pieces 5 are rigidly Inounted upon shaft 3, and held in such a position by thumb-screws or set-screws G. The rearward portions of said pieces 5 are connected together by means of a similar shaft 7. Said shaft is loosely mounted in said pieces and held in a proper location by means of adjustable collars 8.

9 indicates a crank-arm,which is pivotally secured in the said plates 1. The connectingrods 13 are provided with vertically-clon gated slots 10, in which adjustable bearings 11 are located, and in said bearings said crank-arm 9 is directly mounted. Said bearings 11 are held in the desired adjustment by means of set or thumb screws 12. Shaft 7 and crankarm 9 are pivotally secured together by means of rods 13. Said frame-work 4 is, however, free to rock or move on the supporting-plates 1,said movement being effected by turning and operating crank-arm 9, as can be readily perceived by referring to Fig. 2. Said crankarm may be rotated by means of a crank, or a belt may be applied to a belt-pulley secured ,to the same, as shown in Fig. 1. Said crankarm'Q is provided with a ratchet-disk14, which ratchet-diskis adapted to engage with a similar disk 15. Said disk is operated and thrown in and out of engagement with disk 14 by means of a lever 16, pivotally secured to any part of the device, as may be desired. Mounted on said shafts 3 and 7 is a curved clamping-bar 17, the same beingy interposed between adjustable collars 18, located on said shafts. Located in said clamping-bar is an adjustable yielding supplemental clamp 19. Said clamp is provided a shoe 20, and interposed between said shoe and the lower surface of said clamping-bar 17 is a very stiff spring 21. Said supplemental clamp 19 when depressed is adapted to clamp and hold the sole of the shoe in the region of the instep irmly to the last, as can be readily perceived in Fig. 2 in the dotted lines.

Pivotally mounted in pieces 5 is a roller 22, the same being 'so constructed and located that it will strike the sole of the shoe in the region of the toe or the part back of the same.

23 indicates an adjustable shoe-jack, the same being mechanically secured to support 2 and adjustable to and from the clamping and flexing mechanism, so that the entire sole of the shoe may be subjected to the action of said mechanism.

In usingthe device I may use any ordinary last; but in order for the same to be adapted for the purpose designed the front portion thereof should be cut away, as shown in sectional Fig. 3, so that the sole may be acted upon and bent downwardly by the iexing mechanism, as shown in said figure.

IDO

Having fu'lly described mynventon, what and exng said sole, fsubstantialy als set w I claim isforth.

In a machine for breaking and exing soles In testimony whereof I ax my signature in on boots or shoes, a curved Clamping-bm' 17, presence of two Witnesses. 5 provided with a supplemental clamp 19, the

same being provided with a shoe for clamping VILLIAM WOLFE. and holding the sole of the shoe in the region Witnesses: of the ball rmly ou the last, and a roller 22 C: K. JONES. carried by the same mechanism for bending EDWARD E. LONGAN. 

